Shirk (Polytheism )

Shirk (polytheism) is the greatest sin that a person could commit because it is regarding one of the creations of Allah as having some of His attributes. This is why Allah Says:“Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, …} [4: 48].”

The verse tells us that whoever dies while a Mushrik (polytheist) will not be forgiven by Allah and such person will surely be punished for this sin. The punishment for shirk is burning in Hell-fire forever. As for the person who repents, Allah forgives his previous shirk. Allah Says:“Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven.” [8: 38].

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Islam (i.e. converting to Islam) wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)” [Reported by Imam Muslim ].

And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah. [Quran, 2:165]

How complete is your Tawheed?

Even though rape, abuse and murder are among the most horrible crimes, and even though they are terrible, shirk is of a completely different severity. With shirk you are directing an injustice towards the One who provided you with everything you could possible have. The word shirk in Arabic means regarding someone or something as the partner of another. In Sharia terms it means ascribing a partner or rival to Allah. Allah says:

Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshiped) [Quran, 2:22]

And the Prophet ﷺ said: Whoever dies claiming that Allah has a rival, will enter Hell. [Al-Bukhaari, Muslim]

Most of us know what major shirk is. We know praying to statues, invoking others than Allah and so on falls under this category that we will never involve ourselves. However, there are other types of shirk which a lot of us slip into sometimes unknowingly. For instance, in our daily lives we get attached to seemingly halal matters (spouses, children, jobs) and start loving things like we should only love Allah Azawajal.

None of us will say they love their spouse more than Allah. But if one cannot live without their spouse, then that individual becomes your reason for existence. That puts you in very dangerous waters. None of us will profess love for our careers more than Allah.Yet some of our actions show that some of us love our jobs more than we love Allah. When you gladly take a job which pays extremely but is in the haram industry, then in practice you love your job more than Allah.